What kind of bullets are these?

[pjroo33]

Can anyone give me an idea of what kind of bullets I've found? Approximate age?

 

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[SomeGuy]

They appear to be "modern" cast bullets. By modern, I mean metallic cartridge, not muzzle loading. These types are still used, but have been around for over 100 years.

 

[PBK]

I believe the large ones may be bullets for a late 1800's (Indian Wars period) 45-70 Springfield "trapdoor" rifle.

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[dkw]

I believe the large ones may be bullets for a late 1800's (Indian Wars period) 45-70 Springfield "trapdoor" rifle.

I hate to disagree with PBK but the striations in the grooves point to a more modern bullet.

pjroo33, Have you measured the caliber?

 

[Digger]

Yup. 45-70 from the 1870's. I find them here in Kansas near Fort Dodge from the Indian Wars

 

[cam9457]

Wonder what happened to mine, top center? They were found at Rev. war site

 

[Boilermaker27]

your finds are basically what I throw away. Definitely not civil war, later, perhaps much later. But, keep looking cause its a lot of fun to dig anything.

 

[dkw]

I'm still sticking with a more modern bullet. Not disagreeing that they may have been fired from a 45-70, but if they were is wasn't from the Indian war period. The design just isn't right. Digger's photos prove that the original 45-70 slugs look different.

A caliber measurement and weight would help. hint..hint

 

[pjroo33]

Maybe this will help out a little.

 

[cam9457]

I don't have any way to weigh mine

 

[dkw]

Maybe this will help out a little.

Let's see....@ 3/8 inch diameter, a fuzz over 1 inch in length. I'll take 38-55 WCF as my first guess.

 

[pjroo33]

So you are thinking how modern?

 

[cam9457]

1.5" long, never seen a round that looked like that

 

[Montana Jim]

I agree with the 45.70 assumption.

I have pictured below a few of these from various molds... the top three rows in this picture are all .45-70 rounds. I'm pretty sure I sorted each of the rows into three different mold patterns, with some misc. being in there someplace. Also pictured are a variety of other rounds found in the same areas... to include a bunch of .50-70 rounds.

 

[pjroo33]

So we're thinking Civil War era?

 

[Montana Jim]

So we're thinking Civil War era?

Post CW by a little bit...

Think Indian Wars era (1866-1890)... or after that. If you found them there in / around Philly... think "hunting" or "target". A common Government round for the Springfield ... like PBK said. Later it was called the "trapdoor rifle".

 

[baspinall]

Seems the ones pjroo33 posted last have fine verticle ribs inbetween the collars do any of the 45-70's pictured have these? Can't see any.

 

[dkw]

pjroo33, I'm going to throw out one more thing then I'll bow out for the sake of my sanity. In addition to the knurling in the bottom of the grease grooves which I've never seen on any of the original 45-70 bullets, your bullet measures less than 10mm diameter in your own picture. 10mm is roughly .40 caliber. I find it hard to believe that your bullet can be a .45 when it measures less than .40.

I'm not trying to knock your finds. I'm just trying to help find the correct answer.

 

[Montana Jim]

Hmmm... fair enough on the measurements...

Try .50-70 (1866 Springfield Government) Bullet diameter .515 in (13.1 mm)

Or .50-90 Sharps?? Bullet diameter 13 (.512 mm)


As far as those ribs go in the rings... thats just a mold specific thing... I would think.

 

[SomeGuy]

I believe the fine longitudinal lines in the grease grooves, which I hadn't noticed before, indicate that these bullets were formed by swagging, rather than casting. This would indicate a more modern method of mass production, probably 20thy century.